steve harrigan live from miami with details. steve? >> reporter: jon, three weeks ago hugo chavez underwent his fourth operation in cuba for undisclosed form of cancer. according to venezuela ann officials he has respiratory infection. it is not clear how rapid his recovery will be. what is clear he made no public states or appearances in the past three weeks and things are serious enough where his own vice president had to travel from venezuela to cuba after meeting with chavez. after meeting with chavez the leader's health, was quote, a in a delicate situation. madero is hand-picked successor to chavez. interesting things could happen if chavez is not well enough to attend his own inauguration on january 10th. if he dies before the inauguration, venezuela will have to call all new presidential elections within three months. keep in mind it was back in october when chavez was reelected for another term. he told senz senz ann voters he was in fact cancer-free. jon? jon: hmmm. so interesting development there i wonder if he knew somethi